Jay Leno has had a lot of iconic vehicles in his garage: Mustangs, Corvettes, Lamborghinis, and many more. I’ve seen the videos on many of them, but I can’t recall ever seeing a GM “Square Body” truck in Leno’s automotive cathedral. That changed when I saw Empire Fabrication’s custom 1978 Chevrolet C30 dually roll in.
In the following video, Empire Fabrication founder Sean Ramage gives Leno a breakdown of the 18-month build known as “Elwood.” The owner bought the truck sight-unseen, then dropped it off at Empire’s shop in Ventura, California. Ramage and his crew soon learned some donor body panels would be needed. Once they got those, they proceeded to restore certain parts, such as the remaining original sheet metal, door handles, and steering wheel, while upgrading others.
The thirsty original 454ci gas V8 was yanked out and replaced with a much more efficient yet brawny 24-valve Cummins turbodiesel straight-six. Of course, while Empire was in the engine bay, it made sure to add some goodies from Banks Power and install a custom-made intercooler system. Output is now 260 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Instead of the original Turbo 400 or a Dodge transmission, Empire opted for an Allison six-speed auto.
As part of the build, Empire freshened up the exterior with new brightwork, thoughtful paint choices, and a set of modified wheels. It took 22.5-inch Alcoa semi wheels and machined them down to 22s. Elwood may be nice and shiny, but don’t let its looks fool you: it’s going to be put to work. The owner is going to use Elwood to pull his show truck.
Driving long distances to events means the owner is going to spend a lot of time behind the wheel. That’s why Empire modified the redyed seating to be more comfortable and installed a more modern stereo.
Watch the video below to ride along with Jay Leno as he learns more about this impressive build.
